"God, you've got to be ancient," moaned J. T. from the backseat before he buried himself in the information they had amassed on the killer thus far. He'd rather do this than look out at the beautiful scenery at the speed they were going low over the incredible valley. Instead, he penciled in the missing words on the notepad he'd shown Jessica the day before. With this added to his notes on the killer's messages, his collection now read:
#1 is #9-Traitors
#2 is #8-Malicious Frauds
#3 is #7-Violents
Where is it leading… Where will it end? John Thorpe wondered now as he stared at the killer's sick compilation of words and numbers. And what does it have to do with Jessica Coran? Why is this madman fixated on her?
THIRTEEN
He who takes a stand is often wrong, but he who fails to take a stand is always wrong.
On returning to the Wahweap Lodge on Lake Powell in Page, Arizona, Jessica learned that a call from Warren Bishop was waiting for her. He'd left her his direct line. She immediately sought her room and telephone, placing a return call to Warren. Sheriff Colby at Yavapai East had mentioned that Bishop had left word there, too, for her to call him, but she'd not wanted to waste any more time there, deciding that a call from her room at the Wahweap would be far more convenient and productive.
Bishop came right on once Jessica announced herself to his secretary. There was a trace of desperation in his voice when he asked, "Jessica? Jessica, how are you?"
''Fine. We just returned from investigating the incident at the El Tovar at the canyon."
"So, you did get my message after all. I've been anxious to hear back from you. I got a cryptic message from Repasi that you and Thorpe went to Yavapai East without him, but otherwise I had no idea of your steps."
"Yes, well, I'm sorry I didn't call you sooner, but you're out of range of my cellular phone, Warren, and as you might imagine, we've been damned busy here. By the way, what else has… did Repasi have to say about me?''
"What do you mean?"
Jessica told him of Repasi's allegations. She waited for a response.
Bishop was either stunned or trying to find words to reply. Finally he said, "That's the most asinine thing I've heard in my entire career with the FBI, and I've heard some pretty bizarre shit."
"So I hear the Phantom telephoned me there in Vegas again?"
"Harry Furth and the actress we hired to mimic you received a call detailing the burning death of a woman there at the El Tovar. We contacted the local sheriff's office there, and they confirmed that there had been a fire death at the El Tovar. That's when we sent separate telegrams to you and John Thorpe there."
"John got word early, but my message got held up, I'm afraid."
"So, then you've seen the body at the canyon? Is it part of the string?"
"It most definitely is, yes."
"We have the killer's own voice clearly now on tape then. We can assume it's him. He speaks to you directly."
"Bloody bastard. What does he say?"
"More than enough to nail him to the cross."
"And he thinks I'm still there, in Vegas, then."
"Ahhh, not exactly. He somehow figured out our ruse, I'm afraid. Good news is, he doesn't know where you are."
"That is good news." Jessica then repeated herself, asking, "What does he say on the tape?"
"Enough to hang himself many times over. Care to hear it?"
She braced herself. "Go ahead. Play it."
Bishop fiddled with the machine at the other end for a moment before the chilling voice of the killer came over the line, saying, "I'm sorry I couldn't reach you earlier, Dr. Coran. I did so want your… participation.''
"What is it you want?" asked the actress playing her.
"I've taken the liberty of sending another evil soul to her reward. I'd hoped to contact you so that you could share the moment with us, but unfortunately, that was not to be. Fate stepped in."
"What do you mean by us"! Who are you and who is this us?"
Either the actress was good, or Furth was feeding her questions to ask the killer. Either way, she sounded an exact duplicate of Jessica's voice.
"Us, me, number two, the malicious fraud bitch, my god, and you, Doctor, you," replied the monster.
"Charon… we know you want our help, Charon."
He laughed and said. "You think yourself clever, Doctor, but you are an ignorant creature, unaware of your own nature. Charon is no longer here with us! I am Nessus now."
"All right, then, Nessus. Why are you doing this?"
"Telephoning you?"
"Killing innocent people!"
"No one is innocent."
"Why must you call me, report to me?"
Jessica thought it the question of the hour, the same question Repasi was asking.
"I only do my lord's bidding for all of us."
"Why are you calling me? What have I ever done to you?"
"You've offended my god."
"Who is?" The actress had been coached well to keep the killer on the line as long as possible, and since she had no emotional interest invested, she was able to remain far more calm than Jessica had been capable of, Jessica believed.
"What god is that?" she urged him on and awaited an answer, but when none came, she added, "Won't you tell me?" The actress's voice was close, near identical to Jessica's own, but perhaps due to her calmness, somehow the killer detected the subterfuge.
"Wait a minute, you're not Dr. Coran. Who the fuck is this?'' He slammed down the receiver.
"That's it," said Warren, coming back on the line now.
"Did Harry Furth get a fix on where the call originated from?"
"He did, and that's why I've been so frantic to get in touch with you all day."
"So, where did it come from?"
"Are you sitting down?"
"I am."
"Two hours from Page."
"Here Page?"
"Arizona, yes. Someplace called Long Valley Junction. Between Zion National Park and Bryce Canyon."
"He was only two hours ahead of J. T. and me at six this morning?"
"It would appear so, yes, but the route he's taking remains a mystery."
She gasped into the receiver.
"You okay, Jess?"
''Any leads from the call? Anybody know what the hell he means by Charon and now by calling himself Ness-it, Ness-what?''
"Nessus, and no, but we do know he paid for the call with Chris Lorentian's phone card."
"Why doesn't that surprise me?"
"I'm flying up there."
"Not on my account."
"This business began in my jurisdiction. I've got every reason to pursue it with you."
She unnecessarily shrugged. "I've never known you to do anything but what you intended. If you intend coming, come ahead. I won't argue, but it's getting a bit crowded here."
"What do you mean, 'crowded'?"
"The Arizona guys, Karl Repasi, J. T., me, and now you."
"Oh, yeah. I see what you mean."
''Repasi says he has your blessings coming here to Page… claims he simply wants to help us out, forensically speaking. Then he attacks me."
"Out to prove himself better than you or something? I'm sorry. I had no idea."
''J. T. warned me to be wary of him. J. T. questioned Karl's motives from the start."
"And you?"
"Right now I've got my hands full with a killer. I can't worry about what's in Karl's head."
"Just the same, I'm going to join you as soon as I can."